Yesterday, for the first time in about twenty years I was in a courtroom. The last time, I was a defendant. This time the defendant was Professor Azmi Sharom of Universiti Malaya and I was in the gallery. Azmi teaches law. He also writes witty commentaries on local events and… Continue Reading
The Lord God has told us what is right and what he demands: “See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.”
Micah 6:8 (CEV)
Current Issues
Negara-ku: May 13, Masjid Jamek and ministerial multiplication
12 July 2014 |
Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan is the person we most associate with Bersih, the Malaysian movement for free and fair elections. On July 10, while introducing Negara-ku (My Nation), she said “Now every time someone says May 13, you can respond with July 10.” Negara-ku’s Chairman is Zaid Kamaruddin, Secretary General of… Continue Reading
The GE13 People’s Tribunal
26 March 2014 |
There was intense disquiet after the 13th General Election in May 2013. There were mass gatherings. There were allegations of unequal access to media; of erasable ink; of wrongful use of government machinery; of vote-buying; of ‘directed’ postal votes and advance votes; of phantom voters; of unauthorized changes to voters’… Continue Reading
Children’s rights: unsung, shackled servants
27 January 2014 |
Last week, at a consultation on children’s rights in Malaysia, a Professor from a local university said our government is implementing plans to ensure that about ten years from now all persons who do social work will be formally qualified. One participant expressed alarm over the Professors comment. Her alarm… Continue Reading
Meekly defiant
27 January 2014 |
By Stephen Ng While I may want to congratulate Professor Dr Mohamad Tajuddin Mohamad Rasdi for his article, “Turning the other cheek on the ‘Allah’ issue”, the fact is that he is far from the correct interpretation of the phrase, ‘Turn your other cheek’ (Malaysiakini) Dr Tajuddin has at least… Continue Reading
A ten-point non-solution
27 January 2014 |
It would be an understatement to say that the pronouncement by the prime minister yesterday that the 10-point solution to the ‘Allah’ issue must be subject to state laws comes as a huge disappointment to those hoping that he would exhibit bold and distinct leadership in this matter. So that… Continue Reading
Press Statements
CFM deeply concerned over recent acts of escalating tensions
16 January 2014 |
15th January 2014 CFM MEDIA STATEMENT The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) notes with deep concern the recent acts of escalating tensions on the part of certain groups in respect of the use of the term “Allah” by the Christian community in Malaysia. In particular we refer to four incidents:… Continue Reading
JAIS raid violation of constitutional right and Cabinet’s 10-points solution
03 January 2014 |
CFM MEDIA STATEMENT The Christian Federation of Malaysia strongly condemns the raid conducted by officers from the Selangor State Islamic Department (JAIS), accompanied by the police, on the premises of the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) on Thursday afternoon 2 January 2014. They seized 320 copies of the Al-Kitab, the… Continue Reading
Press Statement by Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur
21 October 2013 |
PRESS STATEMENT The recent judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal against the Herald newspaper has raised serious concerns to many Malaysians, especially the Christian community. As President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, I hereby state that that the three Judges were grossly misinformed when concluding that the… Continue Reading
Courts continue to ignore rights of Christian minority
15 October 2013 |
CFM MEDIA STATEMENT 14 October 2013 The Christian community in Malaysia is gravely dismayed and very disappointed by the decision of the Court of Appeal to uphold the power of the Minister to ban the use of the word Allah in the Herald publication. In a wide-ranging decision, all Christian… Continue Reading
From Around the Net
The Blogosphere
As “Allah” appeal nears, Borneo churches say ban violates Malaysia Agreement
11 October 2013 |
Ahead of the Monday ruling by the Court of Appeal on whether the Christian Church can use the Arabic word, the East Malaysian churches stressed that it was “completely unacceptable” to bar such usage that has been their common practice for centuries. “This is abhorrent, wholly unacceptable and a flagrant… Continue Reading
Remembering deaths in custody
15 July 2013 |
ON May 21, 2013, M. Dharmendran died while under police custody. In addition to multiple bruises all over his body, they found staples on his ear and his ankle. Yes, staples [ [ [ [ [ [ Then there was C Sugumar, who had tumeric powder smeared on his face,… Continue Reading
A rakyat’s peace: Reclaiming a lost language
22 May 2013 |
By Low Iishan “People are deeply imbedded in philosophical, i.e., grammatical confusions. And to free them presupposes pulling them out of the immensely manifold connections they are caught up in.” ~ Ludwig Wittgenstein “But if thought corrupts language, language also corrupts thought.” ~ George Orwell Perhaps one of the most… Continue Reading
What a constitutional farce
18 May 2013 |
What a constitutional farce – Paul Low and Abdul Wahid Omar not legally Ministers and Waytha, Loga and Ahmad Bashah not legally Deputy Ministers as they have not been sworn in as Senators It is neither a good omen nor a good start for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s post-13GE Cabinet.… Continue Reading
What future we are going to bequeath to our children and grandchildren
29 April 2013 |
By Ariffin Omar We are now at the crossroads of our destiny. The 13th general election, slated to be held on May 5, will decide once and for all what future we are going to bequeath to our children and grandchildren. We have lived for more than half a century… Continue Reading
Human Interest
Save Bukit Kiara forest!
10 September 2013 |
by Lim Chui Choo The forest lies abused and embattled Trampled upon by bulldozers and man Its famed trails fragmented Its flora and fauna torn asunder Its pristine river streams polluted The ugly 3.6-metre-high metal fencing a grim reminder of abuses and greed of disrespect for the people’s interests of… Continue Reading
A man for all races: A great teacher departs
07 August 2013 |
By Keruah Usit As we Malaysians struggle through a cynical time of religious fear-mongering in schools and in our wider society, we would do well to reflect on the life of a tenaciously open-hearted teacher, Brother Albinus, born Michael O’Flaherty. Brother Albinus passed away peacefully at the age of 83… Continue Reading
For the love of God, he speaks
20 May 2013 |
By RK Anand The 73-year-old cleric is passionate about his chosen path, and his faith and conviction motivate him to speak out against injustices, which has earned him both bouquets and brickbats JOHOR BAHRU: Step into the office and his four-legged companions are the first to greet you. Among the… Continue Reading
Thumbs up for gentlemen in politics
22 April 2013 |
By Lisa J. Ariffin Political scientist Farish A Noor praises Umno’s Saifuddin Abdullah and PAS’ Dzulkefly Ahmad as ‘genuine politicians’ and not ‘populists’. PETALING JAYA: Umno’s Saifuddin Abdullah and PAS’ Dzulkefly Ahmad have been praised as genuine politicians who uphold the highest standards of behaviour by public representatives. Well-known political… Continue Reading
Viewpoints
Reflection
God and natural disasters
09 June 2015 |
On my first visit to Nepal in 1989, I was appalled at the grinding poverty in which the vast majority of its citizens lived. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the rich world came to trek, climb the Himalayas or seek some variation of… Continue Reading
Peter Young: A gentle soul who walked this land
29 June 2014 |
By Soo Ewe Jin Peter Young devoted his whole life to the marginalised citizens of this country he calls his own. HE was always in a batik shirt. Even at home. This tall Mat Salleh was a familiar sight in Section 5, Petaling Jaya, where he would take his two… Continue Reading
Trinity Sunday: mysterium Christi and harmony
16 June 2014 |
Yesterday was Trinity Sunday in the church calendar, a menu of teachings for every day, including many “feast days.” Calendared feasts serve to nourish our beings. On feast days the task of the worship leader and preacher is to spread out a feast of what God has revealed. In a… Continue Reading
Peter’s Pointers
GOD IN THE PSALMS: STUDY 90
11 August 2014 |
57. GOD’S NATIONS, KINGS AND RULERS (2) We continue our study on God’s nations, Kings and Rulers. 2. GOD’S KINGS a) The Kings Of The Earth Take Their Stand 2:2 The Kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed… Continue Reading
GOD IN THE PSALMS: STUDY 89
04 August 2014 |
57. GOD’S NATIONS, KINGS AND RULERS (1) The word ‘nations’ is mentioned at least 75 times in the Psalms. Note that the teaching about God’s nations is very varied. 1. GOD’S NATIONS a) Proclaim Among The Nations 9:11 Sing praises to the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations… Continue Reading
GOD IN THE PSALMS: STUDY 88
28 July 2014 |
56. GOD’S WORLD AND PEOPLE (2) We continue our study on God’s world and people. 2. GOD’S PEOPLE The word ‘people’ is mentioned at least 95 times in the Psalms. a) May God’s Blessing Be On His People 3:8 From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your… Continue Reading
GOD IN THE PSALMS: STUDY 87
25 July 2014 |
56. GOD’S WORLD AND PEOPLE (1) 1. GOD WILL JUDGE THE WORLD 9:8 He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice. 2. MEN OF THIS WORLD 17:14 O Lord, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward… Continue Reading
Intellectual Discourses
Homosexuality and respect for democratic rights: YES, BUT – The Sociological Minimum
24 December 2013 |
PRECIS Proposition 1 – Respect is not Conformity or Compliance YES, the rights of homosexuals to express their views should be respected in a pluralistic democracy, BUT this respect should not be extended to demand approval of their views and compliance to new social policies that impose homosexual ideology on… Continue Reading
Allah: The noun and the name – The root of confusion
28 May 2013 |
Confusion continues to reign over some Malay Muslim scholars, as is evident from their fumbled handling of the semantics of Allah, because there is no definite article in the Malay language. It would be helpful for them to reconsider the significance of definite article in the Arabic and other Semitic… Continue Reading
Galileo’s Trial on Trial: From teleological science to mathematical empirical science
02 January 2013 |
Precis: Secular critics of Christianity typically appeal to the infamous trial of Galilee Galileo in Rome (1616) as indisputable evidence that Christianity is an intolerant and intellectually bankrupt system. The secular critics’ story is one of the inexorable retreat of Christianity into the backwaters of social progress, and of its… Continue Reading
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